Flip The Board: Tabletop Simulator Adds Vive Support

Imagine playing a boardgame that actually allows you to reach toward the cardboard and plastic with your hands, or a virtual representation thereof. Imagine being able to pick up the pieces and move them around. Imagine being able to lob a chit at your opponent. All of that is now (sort of) possible thanks to Tabletop Simulator’s [official site] VR support. Currently in beta, the Vive implementation received a beefy update in yesterday’s patch, and full details along with a trailer are below.

While recent updates have focused on VR, the devs will still be working on improvements and additions to the non-VR aspects of the software. Indeed, the latest DLC has just arrived in the form of board-building 2-5 player clan management game, Simurgh.

On the VR front, here’s the latest changelist. Includes new shrinking abilities so you can play boardgames while roleplaying as Antman.

VR players are now semi-transparent to regular players.
Tooltips added when hovering over an object just like in the base game.
Sharper image and texture quality thanks to 1.25 resolution scale.
You can control this resolution scale using /vrresscale # in the game tab. (Be careful with this setting)
Updated the tutorial to support VR and added VR specific steps for the transform gizmo (scale, rotate, floor).
Make sure to play through the tutorial to learn all of the controls.
Lowered the big screen UI to reduce neck strain.
You can now shrink much smaller using the transform gizmo.
VR tool support for pixel paint, zones, line, flick, and joint (More coming).
You can now interact with 3d UI elements like scripts buttons or counters.
Improved performance due to a smaller resolution on the spectator view.
Fixed objects getting stuck picking up for a hand.
Fixed being unable to pick up layered cards like in solitaire.
Fixed voice chat not turning off if toggle voice was enabled in the configuration menu.
Fixed tooltips appearing when hovering over with the your regular mouse.

When I think of the games that seem like a natural fit for VR, my mind tends to drift toward the truck and flight simulators. Tabletops are a fine thing to wave a virtual hand toward as well though and this is a very welcome addition to the Vive catalogue.